The Arabian Tahr (Arabitragus jayakari) is a species of caprine in the family Bovidae. [source?] It is native to Arabia. The Arabian Tahr is classified as Endangered in IUCN red list[source?]
The [Arabian Tahr described by Oldfield Thomas in 1894. For over a century, it was classes under the genus Hemitragus, Alongside the Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemhlahicus) and Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius). It was not until 2005 that the Arabian tahr is more closely related to the Barbary Sheep. [source?]
It is one of the smallest species of tahr, standing at only 59.7 to 63.5 cm at the shoulder. Adult males weigh roughly 40 kg (up to 45 kg), while females are significantly smaller at 17-20 kg. The coat features long reddish brown hair (turning gray to gray-blonde in older males) with a distinctive dark brown or black stripe running straight from the middle of the back of the head to the tail. [source?]
The Arabian Tahr is found in the Hajar Mountains of the UAE and Oman. They live in specific habitats such as steep cliff faces, mountain valleys and wadis. [source?]
Arabian Tahrs are strictly herbivorous, meaning they eat plant matter such as grass, seeds, shrubs, leaves and fruits. Unlike many other desert animals, Arabian Tahrs are water dependent and drink every day in mountain springs. Their lifespan is 10-15 years. They compete with domestic goats due to food and water and face habitat loss due to human development. [source?]
{{cite web}}: Text "Critter Science" ignored (help){{cite web}}: Text "Animal Diversity Web" ignored (help); Text "INFORMATION" ignored (help)